'He was a visionary but very humble:' Tommy King left a legacy at William Carey University

William Carey University President Emeritus Tommy King was a leader and a visionary, but most of all, he was a man of faith.

King, 82, died Tuesday at Forrest General Asbury Hospice House in Hattiesburg.

“His vision inspired all who were fortunate to work alongside him — and the impact he had on all of us is immeasurable," WCU President Ben Burnett said. "I count myself blessed to have worked directly under his leadership for the last 10 years of my career and I am humbled to follow in his footsteps as president of William Carey University.”

King served as president for more than 15 years, but his commitment to the university began more than five decades ago, when he joined the university as a student.

“Dr. King’s love for William Carey University was unmatched and his leadership took us to another level," Burnett said. "His lifetime of service in the field of education, and with the Baptist churches of Mississippi, he changed the lives of Mississippians for generations.”

King's impact on the university can be seen and felt throughout. He was a visionary and a true leader, said Brett Golson, WCU vice president for Spiritual Development and Church Relations.

"He was an incredible leader and a dear friend, but he was very personable," Golson said. "The impact he had on Carey — his impact is probably on every corner and in every building on this campus."

Under King's leadership, new programs were added, and the number of competitive sports nearly tripled. In addition, King saw the need for a medical school in south Mississippi, so he started the College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2010 to train new physicians who hopefully would stay in Mississippi.

In addition, a doctorate in physical therapy program was established in 2016 and a new College of Health Sciences building opened in 2021. In 2018, the School of Pharmacy opened at the Tradition campus.

In addition, during his tenure, the university's enrollment grew by leaps and bounds.

Despite the tremendous growth at WCU, King was not one to take credit for his success.

"No one person accomplishes much by himself," King told the Hattiesburg American in 2022 after announcing his retirement. "That's true for me. I've had a great team and they have all worked very hard. Any recognition or praise for what's been accomplished goes to the whole team."

Perhaps no one could agree with King more than Burnett. When he took the reins at WCU, the university was flourishing, leaving Burnett room to expand on that growth in the direction it needed to go.

"He was a visionary, but very humble," Burnett said. "He didn't care about his legacy. He wanted the university to be successful. Although he set us up to be successful, it will never diminish what he did for Carey."

Before he was named president, King was executive vice president. He previously served as dean of the School of Psychology and Counseling, vice president for graduate and off-campus programs and a professor of psychology.

King also was instrumental in the rebuilding of the university on more than one occasion. He was named president in 2007, while the university was struggling to determine what to do with its Coast campus that was destroyed in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina.

He had to make the painful decision to sell the beachfront property in Gulfport to build a new campus inland, where it would be less susceptible to damaging winds and flooding.

The Hattiesburg campus also saw significant damage, when in 2017, the university was hit by an EF-3 tornado that tore through Hattiesburg. King assembled his team and got to work quickly to get students back in class and restore the campus, making it better and stronger than it was before.

His commitment to the neighborhoods around campus and the downtown area never wavered. After the tornado, King could have made the decision to rebuild somewhere else.

"We've been here since 1906," Burnett said. "His commitment to downtown was genuine."

King worked as a public school administrator in Marion County for many years before returning to work at Carey.

"I've known Dr. King for probably 45 years," said Brett Golson, WCU vice president for Spiritual Development and Church Relations. "My mother taught school in Marion County, so I've known him that long, but I've worked with him 12, almost 13, years here at William Carey."

King made a number of lifelong friends, including Burnett, who with his wife had also known King for 45 years.

Burnett's wife, Denice, was a school psychometrist, who worked at Carey after she graduated college.

"She interned under Dr. King in Columbia, when he was still with the public schools," Burnett said. "He's made an impact on our lives for a very, very long time."

Burnett said King cared deeply about people and thought of others above himself. For example, Burnett explained, in 2016, King was hospitalized after a fall, yet he reached out to Burnett to ask if there was anything he and his wife could do for the Burnetts, since Burnett's son was in intensive care fighting for his life.

Golson said he and King were close friends who had a lot in common, including their shared faith. They talked about the ministry, since both are pastors, which they talked about when they traveled together for the university.

"When you sit in a car with someone for seven or eight hours you have a lot of good conversations," Golson said.

Funeral arrangements

Services for William Carey University President Emeritus Tommy King were held Monday at First Baptist Church in Columbia through Colonial Funeral Home in Columbia.

Memorial donations may be made to the Tommy King Missionary Dependent Scholarship. William Carey University offers tuition, textbooks, room and meal plans free of charge to all International Mission Board-dependent children. The scholarship ensures WCU's ability to continue offering support to the children of its IMB missionaries.

To make a donation, visit WmCarey.edu/KingMemorial.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Former William Carey President Tommy King dies at 82